All posts tagged ‘injury’

After years of typing, it came out of nowhere: an aching, stabbing, tingling pain in my arms and hands. My primary complaint was a throbbing ache followed by pinpricks of fiery pain on my fingers, like someone putting out cigarettes on my skin. I couldn’t work with my hands in any capacity, and I couldn’t sleep. Nothing seemed to work to alleviate the pain. Not ibuprofen, not acetaminophen, not painkillers. I had carpal tunnel.

My first doctor gave me “the look” when I told him I was a writer by trade, as if that was the root of all my troubles; since giving up writing wasn’t really an option, I underwent surgery, therapy, and ergonomic mindfulness. Once I started typing again at full force, though, it all started coming back. As it stands, I’ve got the odds stacked against me: I’m a woman, a writer, a guitarist, and I have a genetic predisposition to carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and arthritis. A perfect storm for pain.

However, there are still some things I can no longer do (playing guitar, folding laundry, using a regular keyboard, reading heavy books, picking up my son, prolonged vegetable chopping). I get by, though not without some major readjusting. I’ve had to restructure my writing process, the way I play music, and even how I interact with my kids. I can’t tell you how heartbreaking it is to walk into a guitar store these days. After playing for eighteen years, I’ve had to give it up entirely or else spend three days in pain after jamming. It’s just not worth it.

I’m not alone in this, either. I’ve got quite a few family members and friends dealing with similar issues. In fact, as much as 5-10% of the world population suffers from RSI (repetitive strain injuries) or carpal tunnel and related musculoskeletal injuries, and that number is far higher for computer users (with various studies showing up to 30%). So it’s no surprise that companies are now turning a very serious eye toward prevention considering all the work-related injuries it’s caused (RSI-related injuries make up as much as 60% of occupational injuries). If you don’t suffer now, don’t hold your breath. Your risk factors go way up as you age.

Clearly it’s a growing problem, especially among computer-centric geeks. But I can’t help but wonder: Did it have to be this way? Are we such slaves to our tech that we have to stand by and injure ourselves?